Public Controversy in Qatar After Announcement of Hosting the "Power Slap 27" Championship

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The announcement of Doha hosting the Power Slap 27 face-slapping championship for the first time on November 19 has sparked widespread controversy on social media platforms in Qatar.

The Power Slap game involves a direct competition between players who take turns slapping each other in the face according to specific rules, with each competitor facing the other and alternating open-handed slaps to the face.

The competitions are subject to weight classes and categories, with judges evaluating performance based on the strength, accuracy, and impact of the slap, while penalties are imposed for violations related to the manner of delivering the slap or the player's position.

Additionally, a significant portion of the interaction focused on the nature of the competitions, which are based on delivering direct slaps with an open hand, as many Twitter users and Qatari citizens expressed their reservations about hosting such events, considering them incompatible with the community's nature, values, and traditions.

With all due respect to the diversity of tourism, the face-slapping game does not represent us. Our Muslim community is based on respect and honoring human beings, and this event is the complete opposite of that. We trust that the organizing authorities in Qatar are keen on our image as a respectable tourist destination and will reconsider. @VisitQatar https://t.co/J3jf44AcT7

Some have raised concerns about the possibility of children and teenagers imitating these practices, while others have called for a review of the hosting decision or for the tournament to be replaced with other sports and entertainment events. The idea of the modern game goes back to Dana White, who contributed to transforming the face-slapping competitions popular on social media into an organized sport with rules and championships, before officially launching Power Slap in 2022.

Power Slap has sparked widespread controversy since its inception due to the nature of the competition, which relies on receiving direct blows to the face without allowing the competitor to defend themselves in the usual way seen in combat sports, while its supporters argue that it is subject to rules and regulations that dictate how slaps are delivered and impose penalties for violations.